A Stranger From Lagos

Characterization
 Lilian
• Colored African women
• She lives in Nigeria
• Pretty – „in the new dress...hair newly done,“
• Engaged to her fiancé
• Probably pregnant - „How is the baby?“
• Feels attracted to a stranger from Lagos „Tall,
good-looking...“
• She is not very honest „she knew her way to her
lover‘s house...“
• Not very traditional – „Lilian cared little for
families she knew...“
 Stranger (Mr Okonma)
• He is from Lagos-big city
• Feels attracted to Lilian – „look full of the agony
of desire“
• Goodlooking – „glamorous-looking, tall...“
• Has mysterious past...
 Fiance
• „He had been her fiance for 3 years.“
• „...his face,hard,possessive,confident.“
• Man who is possessive - „Every gesture of his
showed that he owned her.“
• He knows the stranger - „I have heard of you.“
• Jealous – „Isn‘t he one of your lovers from
Lagos?“
 Mother
• Mother of Lilian
• Typical gossip person with traditional feelings –
„You don‘t want to do anything that would
scandalize your father‘s name.“
• „Her mother‘s eyes followed her with
resentment.“ She is not satisfiade with her
doughter.
• She likes Lilian‘s fiance – „Her mother‘s voice. It
was warm.“
 Setting
• In Onitsha, a small town in Nigeria
• Hot weather
• Not much detailwhat is mentioned is
significant“small-town minded“
• Time: A few days; Daytime & evening
described
 Plot
• ↗Young
Lellian→protagonist→Strict social class
• ↘Unknown
occupation
• Meets Stranger from Lagos→Disrupts
social class
• Fiance meets stranger →highest tension
 Theme
• Life of people in the public eye
– People should keep things to themselves and
always obey rules in public
• Ostracism
– Lilians reputation is in danger just because
she talked to a stranger on the streets